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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: drill · press · bay · ground · lash · deal · arm · rock

  1. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  4. Did you ________________ the button?
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. press — a publisher
  4. press — to push
  5. ground — crushed
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. rock — a stone
  9. deal — to handle
  10. press — newspapers
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. ground — the earth
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. drill — a practice
  15. rock — music
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. ground — a position
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. drill — the tool
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. drill — army training

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com